DETROIT — Most of the time in sports, teams favored to win a game will win.
Bu that “ain’t” necessarily true. Sometimes, the unfavored win. That’s why they play the games.
Such was the case this past weekend, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 14 and 15, for seven Detroit metro-area Catholic high school squads in the home stretch of Michigan High School Athletic Association football playoffs.
Those favored to win, won big regional games. Novi Detroit Catholic Central dominated Clarkston in Division 1, 42-13. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Prep roughed up Midland Dow 42-7 in Division 2. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep beat Frankenmuth, 42-28, in Division 5. Jackson Lumen Christi defeated Ida 21-7 in Division 6.
What had football fans buzzing were the “upsets,” so-called because the end results didn’t comply with expectations.
Warren De La Salle outlasted favorite Detroit Martin Luther King 38-20 in Division 3. The Pilots have been playing the underdog role since the MHSAA invited coach Dan Rohn’s crew with a 3-6 record against top-notch foes in the Catholic High School League Central Division.
Dearborn Divine Child delivered the biggest shocker by gutting it out against unbeaten and heavily favored Division 4 No. 1 Harper Woods, 10-6.
“Coming into this game, the kids felt a little disrespected … and we kinda played that with them, and the kids executed,” coach Chris Laney told the media after the game.
Halfback Marcello Vitti controlled the Falcons’ offense, rushing for 72 yards and a touchdown.
Another underdog, Allen Park Cabrini, surprised favored Madison Heights Madison, 34-32, in a Division 8 contest.
Junior quarterback Evan Bergdoll scrambled twice into the end zone and threw a pair of touchdown passes to senior wide receiver Lander Emerick.
Coach Ryan Chidester had cautioned his squad: “It could go back and forth and no matter what it is, you have to prepare yourself mentally to just stick it out and keep fighting through it.”
Semifinal games with Ford Field in sight
All semifinal games will be played at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 22. The championship games will be played at Ford Field on Friday, Nov. 28, and Sunday, Nov. 30. Here’s the lineup:
Division 1: Detroit Catholic Central (12-0) vs. East Kentwood (10-2) at Jackson High School (Withington Stadium). The winner will play either Detroit Cass Tech (12-0) or Rochester Adams (10-2) for the state championship at 7 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 30. The Shamrocks will be seeking their 11th state title, the last in 2009.
Division 2: St. Mary’s Prep (9-2) vs. Portage Central (12-0) at Haslett High School. The winner will play either Birmingham Groves (9-3) or Dexter (11-1) at 7 p.m., Friday, Nov. 28. The Eaglets will be seeking to repeat for their 10th state title.
Division 3: De La Salle (6-6) vs. DeWitt (12-0) at Grand Blanc High School. The winner will play either Lowell (10-2) or Mount Pleasant (12-0) at 12:30 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 30. The Pilots will be seeking their sixth state title.
Division 4: Divine Child (11-1) vs. Goodrich (12-0) at Rochester Hills Stoney Creek High School. The winner will play either Vicksburg (8-4) or Hudsonville Unity Christian (11-1) at 12:30 p.m., Friday, Nov. 28. Divine Child won state titles in 1975 and 1985.
Division 5: Notre Dame Prep (10-2) vs. Monroe Jefferson (11-1) at Westland John Glenn High School. The winner will play either Ogemaw Heights (11-1) or Grand Rapids West Catholic (11-1) at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 30. The Fighting Irish will be seeking to repeat as state titlist.
Division 6: Jackson Lumen Christi (9-3) vs. Almont (12-0) at Novi High School. The winner will play either Kingsley (10-2) or Kent City (12-0) at 4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 28. Lumen Christi will be seeking to win its third straight state championship, 15th in its history.
Division 8: Cabrini (11-1) vs. Hudson (12-0) at Adrian College. The winner will play either Bark River-Harris (10-1) or Harbor Beach (12-0) at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 28. Cabrini will be seeking its first state title after winning its first district and regional titles this fall.
Contact Don Horkey at [email protected].
